JEDDAH: Sales of school supplies and stationery are estimated to touch SR2 billion as the new academic session began in the Kingdom on Sunday.

Mohammed Al-Aqeel of Jarir Marketing Company said the school supplies market volume in Saudi Arabia stands at SR2 billion, not to mention the market for schoolbags, with sales estimated at SR750 million. The number of students at schools and universities is estimated at 5 million with their procurement of stationery estimated for each at between SR200 and SR400 annually.

“China is the major exporter of schoolbags this year, with Indonesia competing in the notebook sector. Japan and Germany are considered the two largest exporters of pens. The market for office equipment, according to economists, is witnessing higher sales growth of at least 8 percent annually,” said Al-Aqeel, estimating the number of shops and companies specialized in this field at about 5,000 in the Kingdom.

Ibrahim Al-Mutawa, the CEO of Almarasim for Libraries, said the sales of school supplies and stationery rise by more than 75 percent during this period of the year in comparison to the rest of the year.

Al-Mutawa described the competition between stationery stores, which are estimated at more than 5,000, and the hypermarkets and supermarkets as a healthy phenomenon which will result in the best interest of consumers.